In January when Dr. Mike posted all his best "how to Low carb" articles, the three that address, "Why Low Carb is Harder the Second Time Around" are very helpful.
So many return to LC after having lost x pounds x yeas ago, and wonder why it is not working as well now. He tackles that issue and there are hundreds of comments by readers which he answers. http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/...w-carb-dieters/

Short answer is NO, at least not IF you want to lose weight.
The common advice from LC doctors is to re-introduce drinks after you reach goal.

A longer explanation by Zoe Harcombe…

Quote:
Putting all this together, we come up with the key fact:

Every time you eat a carbohydrate, your body decides how much of the energy consumed is needed immediately and how much should be stored for future needs. As your Blood Glucose Level rises, Insulin is released from the Pancreas and this insulin converts some of the Glucose to Glycogen. If all the glycogen storage areas are full, insulin will convert the excess to fat. If the glycogen is not used within 24 hours, this is converted to fat. This is why insulin has been called the fattening hormone.

There are two other terms with which we need to be familiar:

Glucagon is another hormone produced by the pancreas. Think of glucagon as the 'equal and opposite' partner to insulin – the other main hormone released by the pancreas. These two hormones work in harmony to keep our blood glucose levels within the critical range necessary. If blood glucose levels go too high, insulin is released to turn the excess glucose into glycogen to lower the blood glucose levels. If blood glucose levels dip too low, glucagon is called upon by the body to break down body fat to release the glucose/glycerol contained in body fat to elevate blood glucose levels. We will come back to this in the next chapter on weight loss; as the role of glucagon is absolutely critical in this process.

Before we leave glucagon, it is really helpful to note a key fact about alcohol at this stage. Alcohol inhibits the operation of glucagon. Hence, when you drink alcohol, as your blood glucose level naturally falls over time, your body calls upon glucagon to break down body fat to access some glucose, but the alcohol has impaired the functioning of glucagon. Hence glucagon cannot break down body fat to elevate blood glucose levels. This has a double whammy effect on weight: a) your body can't break down body fat – so this stops you losing weight in and of itself and b) your blood glucose level stays below normal and you body perceives this as a serious threat to health so it does whatever it can to make you eat. This is why you get the munchies on drink night and this is why that kebab van only ever looks attractive when you're somewhat inebriated.

Alcohol is not to be feared as a dieter for the calories that it contains but for the fundamental impact that it has on breaking down body fat and craving food.

Harcombe, Zoe (2012-11-25). Why Do You Overeat? When All You Want Is To Be Slim (p. 72). Columbus Digital Services Ltd. Kindle Edition. End Quote.

Sarah Ballentyne's Paleo Approach for Auto-immune disease, brings up a host of other issues involving alcohol's impact on the health of gut lining junctions, aka contributes to leaky gut. If you have any type of auto-immune mediated disease, best to stay away from alcohol for your health.

Both authors make no differentiation bewtween wine or spirits..it is the alcohol itself causing the problem and a few anti-oxidents do not overcome alcohol's impact on weight loss or leaky gut.
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Can also add a great new video tutorial from Dr Hallberg, "a few glasses every evening" would stop weight loss. The type of alcohol, amount and extent of exposure (daily or once a week?) would all impact the answer.

Ideally, the blood sugar 30-60 min. after a meal should be no higher than prior to eating.

This simple insight provides

Extraordinary control over metabolism,
Helps rapidly reverse diabetes and pre-diabetes, and
Could even accelerate weight loss.
The goal here is not to control blood sugar with medication or insulin but to identify problem foods that provoke blood sugar and insulin, thereby impairing your weight-loss efforts.

Using a finger-stick blood sugar meter both pre and post-meal can be a very powerful tool for weight loss and the reversal of metabolic distortions such as high blood sugar.

How to apply the information?

If your blood sugar increases from, say, 90 mg/ dl to 140 mg/ dl 30 to 60 minutes after eating, then re-examine the foods you ate to identify the culprit. The answer will be found in some hidden or underappreciated source of carbohydrates. Cut back on your portion size or eliminate that food. In the meantime, go for a walk, ride a stationary bike for 20 minutes, or engage in some other light activity to drop your blood sugar back to its starting level.

Article continues at link above

The Relion brand is found at Walmart, so easy to start checking BG without a doctor visit. I found the results somewhat inconsistent and now order meter kits through one of the on-line warehouses, ADW. TRU brand which makes many of the store generic brands, e.g. Walgreens, CVS, etc.

Please read these Stickies at the top of various forums, good advice has been saved there from over the years.
There is also a "BEST OF" sub- forum and a "TIPS AND STALLS" forum with more great advice to be successful.